Description
Deep Purple – Shades Of Deep Purple – 180 Gram Vinyl Record
1968. Rock music is changing fast, and Deep Purple arrives right in the middle of the storm with Shades of Deep Purple, the band’s debut album. Long before the thunderous sound that would define heavy metal in the 1970s, this first record introduces a group still experimenting—mixing psychedelic rock, blues, classical ideas, and the energy of the late-60s underground scene.
The lineup at the time featured Rod Evans on vocals, Ritchie Blackmore on guitar, Jon Lord on organ, Nick Simper on bass, and Ian Paice on drums. Even in this early stage, the ingredients that would later make Deep Purple legendary are already present. Blackmore’s guitar playing cuts sharply through the arrangements, while Jon Lord’s swirling Hammond organ adds a dramatic, almost orchestral quality to the music.
Much of the album reflects the psychedelic atmosphere of the era. Songs stretch and twist with extended instrumental sections, thick organ textures, and moody melodies. At the same time, the band’s classical influences appear in the structured arrangements and dynamic shifts that give several tracks a more ambitious feel than typical rock records of the time.
One of the most famous moments on the album is the band’s dramatic cover of “Hush,” originally written by Joe South. Driven by pounding drums and an infectious groove, the track became a major hit in the United States and helped introduce Deep Purple to a wide audience. Its blend of rock energy and psychedelic flair captured exactly the kind of sound listeners were gravitating toward at the end of the 1960s.
Elsewhere on the album, tracks like “Mandrake Root” reveal the band’s early appetite for long instrumental passages and improvisation—something that would later become a hallmark of their live performances.
Although Shades of Deep Purple sounds quite different from the heavier style the band would develop on albums like Machine Head or Deep Purple in Rock, it remains an important starting point. The record captures a band discovering its identity while already pushing rock music toward something bigger, louder, and more dramatic.
Looking back today, the album feels like the opening chapter of a much larger story—one where Deep Purple would go on to help shape the sound of hard rock and heavy metal for decades to come.
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic
Track Listing
And The Address
Hush
One More Rainy Day
Prelude: Happiness
I’m So Glad
Mandrake Root
Help
Love Help Me
Hey Joe
